Five Tip Friday – Setting up a new BlackBerry smartphone

Last week I had a chance to experience the joy one feels while un-boxing a new gadget or electronic device. For those of you who aren’t familiar with the notion of “un-boxing,” it’s a term used by those gadget lovers in your life when they get a new device and are removing it from factory packaging.

My un-boxing last week was a new BlackBerry® Bold™ 9900 smartphone for my wife, and while going through the setup, I thought it would be a good idea to share my BlackBerry® smartphone and BlackBerry® PlayBook™ tablet post-power up steps with you. So if you are about to get a BlackBerry device or have just received one, then this is the Five Tip Friday for you.

1. You need a BlackBerry ID

A BlackBerry® ID is a single sign on account which gives you access to multiple BlackBerry products and services. When you perform the initial setup of a BlackBerry smartphone with BlackBerry® 6 or BlackBerry® 7 OS or a BlackBerry PlayBook tablet, you will have to enter an existing BlackBerry ID or create a new one. If you have any questions about how a BlackBerry ID works, check out BlackBerry ID – Common Questions.

There are multiple ways to create a BlackBerry ID, so if you need to create one, select one of the links below to get started:

2. Add Your Email Accounts

After setting up your BlackBerry ID, the next thing you should do is set up your email address so you can send and receive email while using your BlackBerry smartphone. Depending on which device you are setting up, the method for integrating your email address(es) will be different. Select a link below:

3. Connect to Wi-Fi

Most of us now have Wi-Fi® in our homes, and if not, then the local coffee shop or fast food joint usually has a Wi-Fi hotspot you can connect to. One of the first questions I get from my friends and family who are new users is “how do I connect to Wi-Fi?” — so here are the blog posts I send them.

4. Get Apps and Games from BlackBerry App World

Now that you have your BlackBerry ID and a connection to a wireless network, you can think about enhancing your experience by downloading some apps and games from the BlackBerry App World™ storefront.

Simply select or tap the BlackBerry App World icon on your Home Screen or from within a folder, and you’ll be able to check out the featured items, search using key words, or browse the categories available.

5. Personalize your new device

Making your BlackBerry device your own is simple: moving icons, creating folders, and changing the Home screen wallpaper are just a few of the options available to personalize your new device. Check out the applicable links below to get started.

[…] to get started with email on a BlackBerry smartphone, then I suggest you start with our post Five Tip Friday – Setting up a new BlackBerry smartphone. If you are looking for some help, you can check out troubleshooting email on a BlackBerry […]

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